


Words Cannot Suffice

by arc1908



Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Total Fluff, some forbidden kissing :)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:15:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22140904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arc1908/pseuds/arc1908
Summary: Anne misses Gilbert, but at least she has his letters
Relationships: Diana Barry & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley, Ruby Gillis/Moody Spurgeon McPherson
Comments: 4
Kudos: 190





	Words Cannot Suffice

**Author's Note:**

> as always, i did not proof read, so there are probably guaranteed grammar errors. my bad. it is 100% fluff (and mostly accidental honestly) so enjoy  
> I also apologize for any incorrect-ness, i don't know very much about courting in the eighteenth century :))

On the mornings that she had the opportunity, Anne loved to walk around Kingston. Though there was nothing to compare to the beauty of Green Gables, and Avonlea, Anne could still appreciate the beauty of a spring morning. She had been able to slip out of the house early this morning, in time to watch the sun rise from one of her most beloved spots, a little park that bordered Lake Ontario. On mornings such as these, Anne would look around with wide eyes, trying to see everything, capture every detail into her memory, the colors of the clouds, which gradually changed, the sun peeking over the horizon, too bright to look at, the sound of people beginning to start their day.  
  
Sometimes Anne would bring papers, and try to describe the wondrous sights with words, but nothing could compare to actually seeing it. She lamented this fact in her letters to Gilbert, after many attempts to recreate it for him. He assured her that he planned to get up early the next chance he could, so they could watch the sun rise together. The same sun, even the same lake, though they were separated by hundreds of miles.  
  
Anne pushed these thoughts away, realizing she was forgetting to relish in the moment. She was determined to do that more, now, not to wish for things to be different, but to appreciate that what she had now was good, and enough. She wasn’t very good at it.  
  
Queen’s was wonderful, but it wasn’t home. She missed cooking with Marilla, and helping Matthew in the fields, listening to Jerry sing in French. She missed Miss Stacy getting excited about new technologies, and building her strange, wondrous contraptions. She even missed walking to school every day, meeting with Diana at the fork in the path, and spending each day with all her friends. In truth, most of them were still with her, except for the one she wished for the most. Most of all, she missed Gilbert.  
  
A flock of birds flew overhead, heading down the lake. What it would be to fly. She thought of the day at the fair, when she had gone up into the air with Matthew and Marilla. It was a feeling she would never forget, knowing that only the straw beneath her feet kept her from being out in the air, feeling the wind whip her hair. How she wished she had wings like the seagulls flying over her head now, so she could fly home to Matthew and Marilla and be back in time for classes.  
  
Classes. The sun had completely risen. Anne would be expected at the house by now. She jumped up, grabbing her hat, and began to run the short path back to the house. It was not an uncommon sight to see a red haired girl running with reckless abandon, hand clutching her hat to her head, especially for those workers whose daily path often intersected Anne’s favorite morning pastime.  
  
Sneaking back into the house was strangely more difficult than sneaking out, and Anne had to wait until Tilly and Ruby came down, who she signaled to make a distraction. There was loud crying, and some shouting, but Anne was able to creep past the drama, and make it up the steps, all the way to her room.  
  
“Good morning, Diana,” she said, smiling. “One day, I’ll get you to come with me to see the sun rise.”  
  
Diana smiled back. “Sorry, Anne, there is no chance I’m getting out of this nice, warm, bed, before I have to without death on the line.”  
  
“Your soul will die, without seeing those beautiful colors. So many of them, how are there so many of them?” Anne fell back onto her bed.  
  
Diana laughed. “Well, if my soul is on the line, then perhaps one morning I will join you. By the way, you’d better change.” Anne glanced down, realizing she had gotten mud on the hem of her dress, and all over her boots. Luckily it was mostly dried, so there weren’t any tracks to give her away.  
  
“Oh, Diana, whatever would I do without you.” She changed quickly, and the pair went down to breakfast together. Tilly, Ruby, and Josie were already down, and Jane arrived just in time. The girls seated themselves and began to eat, with the Matron’s permission.  
  
Breakfast was as amazing as ever, with sausage soaked in gravy, and little cakes the practically fell apart as when you bit down on them. Though it was nothing compared to a breakfast at Green Gables, Anne was easily satisfied. She laughed as Ruby somehow got marmalade one her nose, and Jane had to wipe it off with her handkerchief.  
  
The matron glared at them, but said nothing, so the girls all pretended not to notice. It was Saturday, which meant no classes, but also it meant it was mail day. After breakfast, Anne returned to her room, pacing, took a walk with Diana through the beautiful gardens, plucking a daisy to tuck into Diana’s perfect hair, doing everything she could to pretend she wasn’t waiting for the delivery.  
  
When they returned from the gardens, Anne raced to Lily. The girl smiled but shook her head. Anne sighed, signing thank you. She had been trying to learn a little so that she might speak more to Lily, though sign language was more difficult that she anticipated. Lily’s hands moved so quickly, she often did not have a chance to truly understand the girl. Still, she was determined, and each conversation Anne believed she was getting better.  
  
She lay on her bed, as Diana joined the other girls downstairs. Maybe he hadn’t written this time. Or his letter had gotten lost. Maybe there was some tragical accident, and her Gilbert would never write to her again. Anne hated her imagination sometimes.  
  
She thought of how he must be doing at medical school. He was top of his class, of course, no matter how humble he tried to be in his letters, Anne could decipher that he was better than any of the students. Not that she expected anything less.  
  
Anne herself was excelling at Queen’s, though there was no one to challenge her like Gilbert did. The other girl’s in her class were smart, of course, but there was something missing. Diana attributed it to unresolved tension, in pining love. Anne would laugh, but secretly wondered if there was any truth to it.  
  
The sun was shining, and Anne was cooped up in her room waiting for a letter. She shook her head, tying her hair back into an elaborate bun, and joined her friends. They were sitting to tea. Moody had come, again, so he and Ruby had taken a stroll, with Jane as a chaperone. A couple other boys had come, though none of them were seriously pursuing anyone as Moody was, at least to Anne’s knowledge. Truth be told, she was a little wrapped up in her own romance.  
  
Diana, Josie, and Tilly sat around the coffee table, joined by Charlie and a boy that grew up in Kingston, Lucas.  
  
“There’s no way!” Josie proclaimed. “Has he even gotten permission?”  
  
“He got a letter from her parents, I saw it myself,” Charlie folded his arms.  
  
“What’s happening?” Anne whispered to Diana.  
  
“Charlie and Lucas think Moody will propose,” Diana said quickly. “Today!”  
  
Anne’s eyes widened. “They’ve only been courting a few months!”  
  
“That’s what we said!” Tilly added, “Besides, Ruby told him she won’t be married until she’s graduated.”  
  
“Then why was Moody writing to her parents?” Charlie asked.  
  
“I don’t know. Why were you snooping in Moody’s affairs?” Josie’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.  
  
“For your information, he asked me to make sure the address was right. I wasn’t snooping.”  
  
Josie shook her head. The group were near enough to the door to hear it opened, and the rush of voices. Anne thought she recognized the voice of-  
No, it couldn’t be…  
  
“-and as I was saying, the trip was last minute, but I couldn’t travel through without stopping by.”  
  
“Is that-”  
  
“Gilbert,” Anne breathed.  
  
She jumped up, just as the screen was opened, and he was there, in front of her, dark hair, darker eyes, and a smile so wide she could drown in it. She rushed into his arms.  
  
The matron gasped, but didn’t break them apart. Anne couldn’t think of anything, except it was Gilbert, and he was here. Propriety didn’t matter in a moment like this.  
  
It was like the stories, when all hope was lost, but the hero shows up and saved the day, except there was no cataclysmic event, and Gilbert wasn’t saving anything.  
  
“You’re really here?” She whispered. He laughed and reassured her by gently squeezing her arm.  
  
“I’m here,” he said. They finally ended the embrace, though Gilbert kept a tight grip on her hand, which she returned. He greeted the rest of the group, and sat. Anne was forced to let go of his hand. She couldn’t stop rejoicing that he was really here. She had so many questions she wanted to ask him, though they were for a private conversation. As they began to argue about Ruby and Moody again, insisting on Gilbert’s opinion, and Anne realized they would not get to speak in such privacy, now that they were openly courting.  
  
Gilbert glanced at her, and seemed to understand. After a pause in the argument, he stood.  
  
“Would you join my on a stroll of the gardens you told me about?” Anne smiled, taking his hand. But they would need a chaperone.  
  
They glanced around the room. Jane openly groaned, and Tilly was suddenly very invested in arguing with Charlie. Diana shook her head, but stood.  
  
“I believe you two are in need of a chaperone.” Anne smiled, taking her arm.  
  
They walked through the same gardens her and Diana had just been. Diana would often pause, smelling flowers, or entranced by some unknown beauty, and for a few stolen moments it was just Anne and Gilbert.  
  
“How did you come?” Anne asked, arm on his.  
  
“By train. Also, Bash needed me to come see Delphine. She started to talk. I’m ahead in all of my classes, and got leave. And I couldn’t go back without stopping to see you.” He glanced at Diana, who was very busy with a chrysanthemum, and leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss on her lips. Anne smiled, kissing back. He pulled away quickly, as Diana coughed, but kept the mischievous smile. Anne doubted it would be the last of many stolen kisses.  
  
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”  
  
“Well, I tried to, but by the time I had finished the letter, it was time to go, so I figured I would deliver it in person. He let go of her arm, reaching into his coat pocket, and drew out an envelope, labelled My Anne. She rolled her eyes, but couldn’t quite wipe away the smile.  
  
“I shall measure this along my greatest treasures,” she said, careful not to crease it. They walked further, talking of school, of their adventures, how much they missed home. Anne wished she could go back with him, listen to all of little Delly’s ramblings. Gilbert reassured her that most of the words were probably “Dada,” and not true speaking. She would be back in time to truly hear the speaking in a few months.  
  
“But it’s not just hearing Delphine. I miss Matthew and Marilla, and Green Gables. I miss Miss Stacy, and our classes. I even miss Jerry.”  
  
Gilbert bumped his shoulder into hers. “I know. If I could take you with me, I could.” They walked further, Diana trailing behind, only drawing close if someone walked past. The hours passed quickly, and they were back in the house. Soon it was four. The matron announced that any suitors must not leave the house.  
  
Anne walked Gilbert out, sneaking a kiss when Ruby burst into tears.  
  
“I suppose I’ll address my next letter to home, then,” Anne smiled.  
  
“I’ll tell everyone you said hello, and that you miss them.”  
  
“Don’t forget about-”  
  
“Belle and Butterscotch. I would never.” Even though he was still standing in front of her, Anne missed him terribly. She hugged him tightly.  
  
“Write to me,” she whispered. “I want to hear everything about Delly, and Bash, and everyone at home, and everyone new that you meet.”  
  
“Only if you promise to do the same,” he said.  
  
“Out, out, out!” The matron practically pulled them apart. Anne followed him out the porch, where she had once ran into his arms. She stopped at the rail, gripping it with white knuckles as she watched him depart. He cast many looks back to her, smiling and waving.  
  
“I’ll be back on the return journey!” He shouted. Anne smiled, watching him walk away until he was no longer in sight. Diana took her arm.  
The pair stood, watching the empty field.  
  
Anne pulled out the letter, the one he had given her earlier that afternoon. She held it to her heart, burning to know what was written, wishing she could have a new letter every day.  
  
“He’ll be back soon,” Diana said. Anne smiled at the thought of her Gilbert, back in her arms. For now, words would have to do.

**Author's Note:**

> So it was originally meant to be Anne reading the letters, but yeah, this happened. It was also only supposed to be a couple pages max, but here we are.


End file.
